No Time For Play
by Erincoffeeaddict
Summary: Merry Florene is back and this time she's in town with her cousin. There's trouble in store for everyone.
1. Chapter 1

Everyone was relaxing in the Saloon one evening, waiting for Matt Dillon to come back from a trip. Most of the occupants were men who were busy smoking and drinking. Merry Florene and her visiting cousin were there too. Newly was having a drink at the bar when Merry Florene came over to flirt with him.

Festus was on his way to the Saloon, when he suddenly heard hysterical laughter coming from inside. Confused, he hurried inside and made a face when he saw what was going on.

Merry Florene was digging her fingers into Newly's ribs and stomach. She was tickling him into hysterics. Doc was standing by and watching with an amused look on his face.

Festus ran over to Merry Florene and pushed her away from Newly. Doc was startled by this. "Let go of her! What do you think you're doing?"

"I come in and I see Merry Florene attackin' Newly here, so I had to save him! Can't ya see thet?" said Festus.

"She was just tickling him, you idiot!" Doc said, furiously.

"I knew it!" Festus snarled back. "But if ye ask me, she was takin' it a might too far! I mean just look at poor ole Newly here…his face all red and blushin' like a ripe tomato!"

"I ain't done nothin' to hurt Mr. Newly!" Merry Florene insisted. "But if so, then…I reckon I'll just have to put him out of his misery!"

And with that, she grabbed the back of Newly's head and locked his lips with hers.

All the other men in the Saloon burst out laughing. Festus glared at them all. "This ain't funny!"

Meanwhile, Matt Dillon had just returned from his trip. He dismounted his horse and walked into the Saloon for a drink. As he made his way up to the bar, he noticed a young man with auburn hair, who had been staring at him from the moment he came in.

Matt ordered a drink at the bar and sat down to make himself comfortable. Festus greeted him and began jabbering about the events of the evening.

After a few minutes, the auburn-haired man got up and strolled over to Matt Dillon.

"Marshal Dillon?"

"That's right," Matt answered with a nod.

"I'm Joey…Merry Florene's cousin," he said, holding out a hand for Matt Dillon to shake.

"Nice to meet you," Matt said as he shook the man's hand. He looked like he was about the same age as Merry Florene, maybe a little older.

"Can I sit here? With you?" Joey asked, hopefully. He was staring right into Matt's eyes.

Matt shrugged. "Go ahead. There's no law against it."

Joey smiled and sat down next to the Marshal. "Miss Russell told me about you."

Matt smirked and took a sip of his drink.

Newly was still being chased around by Merry Florene. She wrestled him to the floor and tickled his sides.

"No! NO! Merry Florene! Don't tickle me! HAHAHAHAHA! STOP IT!" Newly shrieked and laughed and kicked.

"Tickle tickle tickle!" Merry Florene sang. She was having too much fun.

"AAAHHH! NOT THERE!" Newly screamed when Merry Florene got her fingers into his armpits. "SOMEBODY HELP! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Joey glared at his female cousin. "I have to apologize for that girl," he said to Matt. "Sometimes I just feel so embarrassed for her."

"Well, someday you may meet a girl, fall in love with her, and who knows…she may be a lot like your cousin," Matt told him, smiling at the two lovebirds on the floor.

"No, I don't reckon so," Joey said, shaking his head. "I don't really like women that much."

Matt paused for a moment. Then he turned and gave Joey a wary look.

Festus was looking down in disgust at Merry Florene and Newly.

"Matthew, how long are ya gonna let that go on? If ya don't do somethin' right quick, that poor boy could laugh up his whole supper all over the floor thare!" Festus exclaimed.

Matt chuckled to himself and slowly got up from his chair. Then he winced and groaned a little when he put pressure on his left foot.

"Is anything wrong?" Joey asked, concerned.

"Oh, I just twisted my ankle a few days ago and it's still giving me some trouble. Nothing serious though," said Matt.

"Do you want me to rub it for you?" Joey asked.

"No, thank you." Matt gave him a funny look. Then he turned his back on Joey and went to separate the wild Merry Florene from Newly.

"Merry Florene?" Matt tapped her shoulder. "I think he's had enough."

"Oh, but I was just having fun!" she complained as Matt pulled her off Newly.

Newly lay on the floor, gasping and still giggling from the tickle torture.

"Mr. Newly, will you please buy me another drink?" she asked, with her arms crossed.

"I'll get it for you," Matt said, taking her hand and leading her over to the bar. Newly needed some time _away_ from Merry Florene.

"Marshal, is there anything I can buy for ya?" Joey asked, eagerly. "Some more drinks maybe?"

"The Marshal don't want anything from you, Joey!"

"You hush up, Merry Florene!"

"Now, now…," Matt tried to calm down the two cousins. "We're all going to sit down and take it easy for a while, okay?"

"The Marshal is right!" Joey sneered at his cousin. "This ain't no time for playin' around!"

"Who's playin' around?" Merry Florene shouted.

"That's all you know how to do, girl!"

"It is NOT!"

"Enough!" Matt said, firmly. "No more bithering or else."

"Yes, Marshal," Joey said quietly. He started to calm when Matt looked back into his eyes.

Then the threesome sat down at the bar together. Matt Dillon sat between Joey and Merry Florene in order to keep them apart.

After a while, Festus wandered over to Merry Florene and whispered something in her ear.

"What did he say?" Matt asked her, when Festus walked away.

Merry Florene giggled. "Mr. Festus wants lessons from me!" she whispered.

"Lessons for what?"

Merry Florene grinned and began to blush. "He wants lessons on…how to _tickle people!"_

Matt and Joey looked at each other and burst out laughing.


	2. Chapter 2

Early the next morning, Matt Dillon was brewing some coffee in his office. He needed the caffeine since he had stayed up quite late last night, but it was a weekend so it was understandable. When the coffee finished brewing, Matt poured himself a cup and stepped outside.

He was surprised to find a man laying right outside the office door. The man had his hat pulled down over his eyes – apparently sleeping.

Matt nudged at him with the toe of his boot. "Hey you! Get up from there."

"Oh Marshal, it's you." Joey sat upright and rubbed his eyes.

"Have you been laying there all night?"

"Wha – Oh. Yeah, well I just sort of wandered over here last night," Joey explained, somewhat nervously.

Matt folded his arms sternly. "Couldn't you find a better place to sleep than right outside my office?"

Joey looked up into the Marshal's eyes and shrugged.

"Don't do it again," Matt said. Then he walked back into his office to get some work done.

"Festus?" he called. "Where you at?"

"Right here, Matthew. Thare somethin' I can get fer ya?"

"Do you know why that Joey character would be sleeping outside my door?"

"Hm, thet's a toughie…," Festus said, scratching his whiskers. "But I know this…thet critter has got somethin' up his sleeve! I can just feel it in m' bones!"

Matt glanced over toward the window. "I'll keep my eye on him."

"Oh Matthew, if you see Merry Florene today, would ye tell her that I'm ready fer my lesson?"

"Lesson?" Matt was cofused for a moment. "Ohh… _that_ lesson."

"Yep!" Festus nodded.

Matt chuckled. "Who's going to be the unlucky victim of practice?"

"Newly."

"Figures." Matt rolled his eyes.

"Oh, but Merry Florene is going to be doing all the ticklin'. I'm just gonna be her lonely ole apprentice…"

Matt raised an eyebrow. "You've got too much time on your hands these days, Festus."

Festus smirked as he put on his hat and left the room, leaving Matt alone with his thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

"I don't know how I let you two talk me into this," said a nervous Newly, who had just been forced to strip one of his boots and put his bare foot onto the table.

"It'll be fun, Mr. Newly!" said Merry Florene, cheerily.

Newly pursed his lips and looked warily at Festus, who was snickering at him.

Newly was terrified at the thought of being tickled, but Merry Florene had convinced him via hugs and kisses. What made the situation worse was the fact that Festus, of all people, was hanging around to taunt him.

Festus squeezed Newly's bare foot and examined it. "Ooh…thet's one whopper-sized sausage of a foot!"

"Cut it out, Festus," Newly muttered, looking very uncomfortable.

Merry Florene giggled and reached into the pocket of her dress. She produced a long feather and waved it around.

"Festus, you may have to hold him down," she said playfully.

Newly held his breath and prepared himself, but the second that feather brushed against his sole, he lost all control of himself and the laughter poured out.

Festus pinned Newly's leg down on the table, so he couldn't pull his foot away. Merry Florene stroked the feather up and down the poor man's arch and along his toes.

Newly was hysterical with laughter. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! PLEASE! AAHAHAHAHAHAHA! STOHOHOHOP!"

"Coochie coochie!" teased Merry Florene.

"Why, I declare! Never before have I seen a man this ticklish!" chuckled Festus.

Newly pleaded for mercy through his laughter. He swung and punched at Festus's back, trying to free his foot. The last time Newly had been foot tickled was by Miss Kitty. When she was tickling him, Newly had kicked her. He felt awful about it. But the idea of hitting or kicking _Festus_ , didn't make him feel that bad at all.

"NO MORE! AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I CAN'T TAKE IT!" Newly shrieked, as his face turned bright red and his black hair stuck to his forehead with sweat.

"Tell me that you love me!" Merry Florene was feeling especially cruel right now.

"OKAY! EEHAHAHAHAHAHA! I LOVE YOU!"

Merry Florene grinned. "That's a good fella."

Then she stopped tickling and put the feather back in her pocket. Festus groaned in annoyance.

"Let's get him again!" Festus begged, still holding Newly's ankle.

"No, Festus." Merry Florene shook her head. "Can't you see the poor boy is all tuckered out? I think he's had enough for now."

"Yep…I reckon."

Then Festus released Newly's ankle, but was a bit reluctant to do so.

Gasping for breath, Newly yanked his foot away and quickly put his boot back on.


	4. Chapter 4

A week went by and everything seemed alright for the most part. Festus pretty much lost interest in tickling. Merry Florene, on the other hand, was still obsessed with tormenting poor Newly whenever she had the chance. Joey was hanging around Matt Dillon so much that Miss Kitty could hardly get any time alone with the Marshal.

It rained hard one gray afternoon, leaving everything wet and slippery. Matt was resting in a chair outside his office, looking out into the street. Horses and carriages were passing by. Joey had taken the liberty of joining Matt as he reclined.

Merry Florene was coming down the street, stepping carefully so she wouldn't get her new shoes too muddy. She grinned and waved to Matt as she approached the office.

"I thought you might like to see my new dress!" she said proudly, spinning around to show off the homemade creation. "What do you think of it?"

"Ridiculous," sneered Joey.

"I wasn't talking to you, Joey. I was talking to the Marshal!" she said, sticking her nose in the air.

"It's nice," Matt said, nodding.

Merry Florene smiled and ran up the few steps so Matt could get a closer look at it. "Is it really good? I made it myself!"

Matt half-smiled and glanced over at Joey who was looking quite unimpressed with his cousin.

"I'm going to show it to Mr. Newly!" And with that, Merry Florene turned and started to run. But then she slipped on the wet steps and shrieked as she fell.

"MERRY FLORENE!" Joey shouted as he ran to help his cousin. Matt jumped out of his chair and hurried to the girl's side.

"She won't wake up!" Joey cried, looking up at Matt for guidance.

"She hit her head. We have to get her to Doc," Matt declared, scooping the girl's limp body into his strong arms.

Joey stayed close to the office as he watched Matt carry away his injured cousin.

OoOoOo

"How is she, Doc?"

"She's got slight concussion but she'll make it," Doc said to the worried young man.

Joey sighed in relief.

Matt was standing by and a small smile came to his face when he saw how relieved Joey was. He strolled over to the younger man.

"Hey…I thought you didn't like your cousin."

"I don't," Joey said shortly. "But I'm still glad she's going to be alright." Then he turned and gazed up at Matt with adoring eyes. "You saved her life."

Matt nodded a bit. "Can you blame me?"

Joey stared straight into the Marshal's eyes and swallowed hard.

"Well, I guess I'll be heading off now," Matt said finally. He waved a brief goodbye to Doc and walked back to his own office.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a Sunday afternoon and Matt and Miss Kitty went for a walk together . "It's nice like this," Kitty commented as she clutched Matt's hand. "Just you and me…nobody else."

Matt raised his eyebrows and smirked at her knowing face. "No Joey?"

"No Joey!" Kitty made a silly face.

Matt chuckled. "Well…I think he likes me a lot."

" _I_ like you a lot!"

Matt nodded and bit his lip. "You know, if I didn't know better I'd think…"

Kitty looked at him. "What, Matt?"

He paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Never mind."

"You can tell me anything, you know."

"I know."

A cool breeze ruffled their hair as they walked alongside each other. Matt thought about the young man who had practically made his presence part of Matt's daily routine. Whenever Joey was around, Matt was always ready to put his foot down if he thought Joey was going to get in the way of business or anything else important. Matt tried to be nice but never forgot to stay firm with him.

Suddenly, Miss Kitty tripped and stumbled forward but Matt caught her before she could fall. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," she replied, regaining her footing. "Good thing I have you to catch me or I don't know what I'd do!"

Matt smiled warmly at his lady friend as she cuddled against him and slid her slender hand into his.

Then his smile faded when he looked back and saw Joey in the distance…standing behind a tree and staring right at him and Kitty.


	6. Chapter 6

Matt was working alone in his office late that Monday night. He shifted in his chair, trying to get reasonably comfortable. His muscles were a little stiff and he was quiet tired. On an evening like this, he usually had Festus brew him a pot of coffee. But the guy wasn't around tonight. Just when Matt considered turning in for the night, the door suddenly swung open and in came Joey.

Joey walked right into the office as if he owned it, taking off his jacket and stretching his back. His face looked pale and his gingered hair was tousled about. "Mmm…been a long day," he moaned contently, stifling a yawn. "You busy tonight, Marshal?"

"Just a tad."

"No matter." Joey put his hands in his pockets and strolled over to Matt's desk. "I'll keep you company if you like."

Matt shrugged and went back to his work.

Joey stared at him and cocked his head. "Marshal?"

"What?"

"Do you feel alright?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Well," Joey began, wringing his hands in anticipation. "When you carried my cousin to the doctor the other day…I reckon maybe you strained your muscles. I-I was just worried about that."

Matt sighed and leaned backward in his chair. "Well, to tell you the truth, my neck does feel a little stiff."

"Oh, well here, let me help you with that!" Joey ran around the desk , got behind Matt's chair and started massaging Matt's neck and shoulders.

"Don't worry about a thing, Marshal. I know how to do this. When I was a youngun' my ma used to do this for my pa when _he_ had a stiff neck. Besides, it's the least I can do for you. After all, you're Marshal Matt Dillon. You take care of everyone and everything in Dodge City," Joey chattered, as his hands traveled up the sides of Matt's neck…along his shoulders…down the length of his arms…

It was too much.

Matt grabbed Joey's hands in a tight grip and peeled them off his body.

"Joey…don't do that."

"But, why not?" Joey asked, puzzled.

Then Matt sighed inwardly and rose from his chair. He turned to face Joey with a dead serious face.

"I think you should stop hanging around me," Matt explained, softly. "It's not good for me or you."

"I don't understand," Joey said, taking a step closer to Matt and gazing into his eyes. "Why would you say that?"

"It's just better this way."

Joey's face darkened as he seemed to genuinely not understand what the Marshal was getting at.

"Just trust me," Matt said. "You have to stay away from me."

"But…I love you."

A cold, twisted chill seized Matt in the gut for that moment. When he regained his composure, he grabbed Joey's collar and held him, gently but firmly.

"Now you listen to me," Matt hissed. "Keep it to yourself. You'll be doing yourself a favor if you keep it to yourself. I'm sorry you have feelings for me, I'm sorry that I can't return them. But that's just the way things are. If you like men, that's your own affair – but keep me out of it. Please!"

"I looked up to you," Joey said with a sniff.

Matt released Joey's collar and sighed sadly. "Please…just go."

Then Joey slowly walked past Matt and yanked open the door. He turned around to give Matt one last, cold stare. Then he was gone. Matt never saw Joey again.

The End


End file.
